Crafty Baker Parrs is an artisan bakery cafe on W Coast Rd in Glen Eden, West Auckland, with a 4.2 Google rating and a name built on handcrafted sourdough, pies and pastries. Founder Dinesh grew up around family bakeries in Colombo, Sri Lanka, before the craft brought him to West Auckland.
The best bakery cafes work to the rhythm of the dough rather than the clock. Naturally leavened sourdough ferments slowly, so fresh loaves tend to appear in the morning and sell out early — regulars know to arrive before mid-morning for the best choice. It pays to ask what is baked on site rather than reheated; the difference shows in the crust, the crumb and the filling of a proper pie. Many double as neighbourhood hubs, where coffee and a corner table are as much the draw as the bread.
You'll find Crafty Baker Parrs on W Coast Rd in Glen Eden, where the city starts giving way to the Waitakeres.